Cigarette moistening means for cigarette lighters



Oct. 19, 1954 E R 2,691,957

CIGARETTE MOISTENING MEANS FOR CIGARETTE LIGHTERS Filed April 4. 1952 I v INVENTOR.

ArraR/vn Patented Oct. 19, 1954 CIGARETTE MOISTENING MEANS FOR CIGARETTE LIGHTERS I Benjamin Herr, Bismarck, N. Dak. Application April 4, 1952, Serial No. 280,688

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in cigarette lighters and more particularly to means whereby cigarettes that may be considered stale can be moistened and thus freshened for use.

An important object of the invention is to provide a moistening device that can be built into a conventional cigarette lighter, to the end that a cigarette can be touched against the exposed end of the moistening means, to the end that when the cigarette is lighted, the vapor will develope within the cigarette for the purpose of freshening the same.

Another important object of the invention is to provide freshening means for cigarettes that can be initially manufactured into a cigarette lighter without increasing the cost of such addition beyond the demand for such a feature by the public.

These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a cigarette lighter with portions broken away to disclose the moistening feature.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the moistening device with several parts broken away.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen, that numeral Ill denotes a cigarette lighter generally and this briefly is composed of a case or reservoir ll containing a fuel l2 and the bottom of this reservoir has a filler cap l3 as well as a feed head M for a flint stick generally referred to by numeral I5. This type of lighter has the usual igniting wheel l6 adjacent to the upper end of a wick I? which protrudes upwardly from the interior of the reservoir ll. This type of igniter also has a cap I8 and a spring keeper :9 thereon is engageable with a boss 20 on the reservoir l I to maintain the cap in closed position as shown in broken lines in Figure l.

The present invention is generally referred to by numeral 2| and this is composed of a tube 22 which is disposed downwardly through an opening in the top of the reservoir ll This tube may be welded or otherwise secured to the top of the reservoir I l and its upper end protrudes upwardly from the reservoir and is formed with threads.

Numeral 23 denotes a bowl having a reduced and internally threaded neck 24 for cooperation with the threads at the upper end of the tube 22 and this neck 24 is engageable against a packing ring 25, as shown in Figure 3.

Between the neck 24 and the bowl 23 is a shoulder 26 and resting on the shoulder is a spiral grate 27. A rest in the form of a cross 28 is provided at the top of the bowl 23 and between the rest 28 and the grate 21 is a mass of absorbent material 29, which may be cotton, for the purpose of retaining moisture from the fluid content of the tube 22.

The content of the tube 22 may be water or any other desired fluid for the purpose of moistening the end of the particular cigarette to b ignited.

It can be seen that it would be desirous to cover the upper end of the bowl 23 when the cigarette lighter is closed, so therefore a packing or closure plate 39 is provided within the cap l8. A coiled compression spring 3| has one end thereof welded or otherwise secured to the inside of the cap 18, while the other end is secured to the plate 30. Consequently, when the cap I8 is moved to the closed position shown in broken lines in Figure 1, the plate 30 will be pressed against the top of the bowl 23 to prevent the loss of moisture.

In the use and operation of this invention, it will be understood that the lighter involving the flint l5, the striking wheel l6 and the wick I1 is conventional.

The unit referred to by numeral 2| is the present invention and is apparent in Figure 3, the bowl 23 can b removed conveniently by unscrewing the same from the upper end of the tube 22. Water can be placed in the tube 22 and the bowl 23 replaced. The grate 2'! will prevent the cotton or other absorbent material 29 from entering the tube 22 and when a cigarette is placed against the rest 28, this rest will prevent the cigarette from acquiring too much moisture from the content of the absorbent material 29.

Usually, the first cigarettes of a package are fresh, but after the package has been opened, the last six to ten cigarettes, being subject to the atmosphere, dry rapidly and to a certain extent become stale.

Therefore, with a lighter equipped with the present invention, all that the user has to do is to open the cap I8 and subject the end of the cigarette to a slight moistening from the absorbent material 29. As a matter of fact the condition of the cigarette can easily be ascertained by feeling the same between the fingers.

When the tip end of the cigarette has been r 3 slightly moistened it can then be lighted from the wick l1 and the brief steam or vapor from the moist end of the cigarett will permeate the tobacco of the cigarette and freshen the same, so that the cigarette will be much more enjoyable to smoke.

Obviously when the cap 18 is moved to the closed position as shown in broken lines in Figure 1, the packing or closure plate [3 will close the top of the bowl 23.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

A cigarette moistening device in combination with a carrier; said moistening device comprising a liquid containing tube having one end disposed through the carrier and secured thereto,

said carrier being provided with a wall through which one end of the tube projects, the projecting end of the tube being provided with threads, a bowl provided with an internally threaded neck for disposition over the threaded portion of the tube, said bowl being provided with a shoulder between itself and the neck, a grate disposed on the shoulder, and moisture absorbing means disposed in the bowl beyond the grate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 121,483 Bond Dec. 5, 1871 126,501 Tarbox May 7, 1872 972,661 Summers Oct. 11, 1910 1,738,693 Corrigan Dec. 10, 1929 1,767,092 Nee June 24, 1930 1,928,041 Windesheim Sept. 26, 1933 1 2,309,011 Porter Jan. 19, 1943 2,408,481 Reid Oct. 1, 1946 

